We left Portomarin and knew that we’d be going uphill most of the day, but we never expected what we encountered! After crossing the Mino river, we had to make a choice: go left and encounter an extremely steep climb or go right and have a gradual, easier (?) climb. We chose to go to the right as did most everyone else. But what a climb for the easy route! After a few more minutes, the road divided and of course, we had to go up hill.

And this was just the beginning of hours climbing uphill. The increase in the elevation was about 500 meters. The weather was warm, low 80’s, and it was awful! But once we reached the ridge, we were rewarded with cool breezes and the view!

So we kept hiking up.

We arrived in Ventras de Naron. To date, we’ve not had much luck with churches being open. We found a chapel which originally a hospital for pilgrims run by the Knights Templar of Pena Godon. When the knights disappeared, the hospital was then taken over by the Benedictine order. In the end of the 19th century, the building collapsed and the stones were reused to build the chapel. I had read about it in the guidebook and we were lucky to arrive just as the blind priest was being led out of the chapel. I asked for a stamp and he reopened the church. We each received a stamp of the chapel and the Knights Templar in our credentials! (We receive stamps most everywhere we stop.) The priest held the stamp and I guided his hand over the place for the stamp. Then he stamped it. I’m glad we had the opportunity to meet him.

We are very tired tonight…did I mention that we walked uphill most of the day???